Long Live the King
by jls62113
Summary: A short, short to remind us that when things in The Walking Dead look bleakest, Rick Grimes is still THE MAN!


**Long Live the King**

After Negan and his men left with half of everything the Alexandrians owned, Rick made a spectacle of in front of the community, and everyone losing trust in their leader. Michonne looked around for Rick but could not find him. She talked to Sasha who the watch had told Michonne which direction he had gone. Michonne went back home to get her katana. She looked at the weapon with both loathing and respect. She shouldn't have to carry such a weapon, but it had kept her alive; always with her. Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at her door. She opened the door and saw Dwight standing in front of her.

"What do you want?" She snarled.

Dwight handed her Rick's gun belt with his Colt in it.

"Negan wanted Rick to have his gun back."

She looked at Dwight with no change in her previous expression.

With speed that made Dwight flinch, she drew the Colt and aimed it at his head.

"Get off my porch."

Dwight started to remind her who was in charge, but thought better of it, because he could see that this woman would kill him with no worry about consequences.

She slammed the door in Dwight's face, saving his life.

She put the gun and holster in her pack and headed out after Rick.

As far as she knew, no one had ever been in the abandoned house that sat alone a short distance from the community. Carl told her that Rick had hidden a gun there at one time. To her, that would be the most logical place he would go to right after what he had gone through. She took a deep breath and drew her katana. She had no idea what state he was in, but from what had happened, she was afraid for his sanity.

She walked into the house and found him sitting on the floor with his back against an old box.

"Rick." She said quietly.

He looked up and then back down at the floor. She stepped forward and sat down in front of him.

He looked into her eyes and saw her strength and anger and also her undying love for him. It humbled him in a way that lessened the humiliation he experienced.

"You okay?" He asked her.

"No." Her answer came so quickly, he looked up at her again.

"You realize Negan did what he did for himself, not for you, so stop taking it personally, and before you say anything," she paused and started reaching in her pack, "this is not the end of you. Who cares what the Alexandrians think, they are a fickle bunch, and I now see why it was so hard for you to consider them family. You knew."

Rick looked at her, then at his holster that she was handing over to him.

"How did you manage to get this?" He said in a low voice.

"Dwight said Negan wanted you to have it back."

Rick scoffed and took the holster from her.

"I don't want to hear anything from you." Michonne said looking at Rick. "We've already had that conversation."

Rick smiled sadly recalling the fight he and Michonne had but she won.

"And I'm not likely to forget it."

He stood up from the floor and reached down to help her up. He strapped on his holster and looked in her eyes again.

"It's going to take a while, but we'll get them. He's not going to let up on you. You're a strong man and he knows it, so humiliating you seems to be Negan's way of gaining control."

"I know. I studied criminal behavior in college. The man's a psychopath and I'm going to have to go along to get along for now."

Michonne was speechless. Rick seemed to be mentally in complete control. She had been so afraid for him, and talked so much, she really didn't notice how at ease he was.

Rick stood in front of Michonne checking the rounds in his Colt. She looked him over and saw that he was confident, strong and sexy as hell.

"This is going to be difficult for me, but I have to do it. You good with this?"

"Yes." She said matching his gaze. She walked up to him and with both hands behind his neck and drew his head down to hers and kissed him. He wasn't exactly in the mood, but soon thought what she was doing was exactly what he needed.


End file.
